Chapter 8

The sun beats down on the large hospital building, light glinting off the many windows covering its expanse like the reflective surface of a calm sea that hides a secret world boiling away beneath.

A figure strides with quiet purpose across the car park stopping near the entrance and looking up at the building with glowing eyes; it scans the windows with a concentration that almost makes it seem as though it could see what lay on the other side, then it tilts it's head slightly like a dog sniffing the air for a scent trail.

Parrish's wet hair glistens in the sunshine and he is dressed in a fresh deputy uniform, the glow in his eyes dims and they return to normal. Shaking his head he comes back to his senses and the focused look that had been on his face is replaced by one of confusion as he takes in his surroundings and realises where he is. How did he get here? Why is he standing staring up at the hospital building? Parrish takes a deep breath and lets it out as his hand wipes over his face, dammit he'd weirded out again hadn't he, what had he done this time? Please don't let him have hurt anyone!

Suddenly an image of Lydia's face flashes before him and it's as though she is standing right there in front of him, her face is pale and her hair unbrushed but even in this unkempt state he can't help but think how beautiful she is, so delicate yet so strong. Slowly she reaches her hand up and gently caresses his cheek, he lets himself lean into it feeling her cool fingers on his face. Tilting her head to the side her eyes stare into his, questioning, lost, and then she speaks to him and her voice is so soft, like wind whispering across the water, "She wants to come in out of the rain but the naughty kitty broke my umbrella."

"Lydia." He exhales with her name on his lips reaching up to touch her but as quickly as he saw her before him she is gone and he is left standing alone in the bustling car park. He looks back up at the hulking hospital building that feels like it is reaching out with strong arms and trying to drag him inside so he lets the strange pull draw him in, draw him to Lydia.

When Parrish finally tracks down Lydia's room it is empty save for a nurse who is standing in the doorway wiping the name Lydia Martin off the whiteboard.

"Excuse me Ma'am, where is the patient that was in this room?"

The nurse stops to look up at the deputy, "Sorry?"

"Miss Martin, the patient who was in this room, do you know where she is?"

The nurse shakes her head, "No sorry I don't, all I know is that she's been transferred. Maybe try the nurses' station, they might be able to give you more information."

Parrish shoots her a quick "Thank you" as he hurries to the wards nurses' station.

When Parrish reaches the nurse's station the nurse at the desk is on the phone while others bustle busily back and forth. He can't help his fingers from tapping on the counter, his patience wearing thin as he waits for the young looking nurse to finish his phone call, how was this lad even out of high school let alone a qualified nurse? The deputy catches himself and stops this line of thought, how many times had he faced exactly the same question, people not wanting to take him seriously because of his youthful appearance, don't be a hypocrite Jordan, who's to say he isn't as good at his job as you are at yours. The nurse finally hangs up from his phone call as the deputy finishes mentally reprimanding his own behaviour and at first is reluctant to give out any patient information but with the help of his youthful looks, boyish charm and freshly pressed deputy uniform, Parrish manages to convince him to check Lydia's file and find out where she has been transferred.

The nurse smirks to himself as he searches for Miss Martins file, watching the deputy try and work the charm offensive on him had been an entertaining interlude brightening up what had so far been a dull day. He could tell that this Miss Martin was important to the young man and with the stress the Sheriff's situation must have put on all of the deputies he felt like giving him a break. Thinking of the Sheriff brought to mind the ill mans teenage son and the nurse sighed to himself, now that was a sad situation, the poor kid was practically living here and the nurses had sort of taken it upon themselves to keep an eye on him once it became apparent there was no one else to, so if this deputy was taking an interest in the safety and wellbeing of Miss Martin then more power to him. Finally he unearths the file for Miss L Martin, "Here we go Deputy here she is."

His success is rewarded with a big smile from the grateful man, "Thanks, now lets find out where I'm off to next shall we."

Opening up the file the nurse scans the notes, his brow furrowing slightly, "Hmmm."

"What is it?" Parrish's smile slips at the look of what seems to be concern settling on the nurse's face.

Still reading the notes to make sure he is correct the nurse replies without looking up from the pages, "Well it looks like Miss Martin was indeed transferred, earlier today in fact, and her file shows that it was to … Eichen House," the kind nurse looks up into the eyes of the young deputy, sensing the shock in them his heart goes out to the man a little at the implications of the transfer. This news meant that the doctors didn't seem to think Lydia's condition was going to be a quick fix, poor girl, "I'm sorry, but they do have a lot of specialists there and if anywhere can help her recover then this is probably the best option for her."

Parrish wasn't really listening to the handsome young nurse's attempt to provide comfort as his head was still reeling from the news, Eichen House… Eichen House? … Eichen House! Dammit why had they sent her there? He had to get there right away, make sure she was safe, make sure that she was okay in that melting pot of supernatural and crazy.

Thanking the nurse for his kind help, Parish rushes out of the hospital and towards Lydia.

The nurse watches the young deputy's back as he hurries down the hallway, why did he feel like these days he was giving people more bad news than good.